How To Minimize Distractions & Maximize Productivity In 2021

With everything going on in society and our homes these days—it can be increasingly difficult to concentrate, focus on priorities, and keep a clear and composed state of mind. 

For all the troubles and distractions that are out of your control, there are plenty of tools you can use to heighten concentration, control productivity, and maintain a positive mindset. Here are a few ways to center your mind and attention and make 2021 a year of great accomplishments.

The Power Of Physical Space

Where you work has a lot to do with how productive you’ll be. From physical location to organization, there are a number of things you can do to create the most focus-appropriate room for your needs, interests, and motivation.

1. Whether large and spacious or quaint and cozy, what’s of most importance when it comes to choosing a work environment is selecting a place that inspires you and caters to your individual needs for productivity. If possible, your work environment should be separate from areas of the home that serve other primary purposes like living rooms or bedrooms. When assessing a place or places to work, be mindful of your niche needs, personality, and daily activities.
2. Create positive energy. Following the ancient philosophy of feng shui, there are key elements that help foster healthy spacial energy flow:
   • Keep your desk and workspace clutter free
   • Use a chair that accentuates tall posture and a supported back
   • Celebrate artwork and decor that is meaningful to you
   • Position your desk and chair so that it’s facing the door. This creates energy of confidence and power
3. Incorporate natural light & plants. Natural light helps to open up even the smallest of rooms and has been researched to increase creativity by 15%. Plants are known to alleviate stress and mental tension and they create a more welcoming, comfortable work environment.

Eat Well. Supplement Smartly. Move Your Body.

1. Eat The Rainbow It’s pretty simple. Choosing to eat foods packed with healthy phytonutrients helps to boost mental energy and minimizes brain deterioration. Throughout the day try to incorporate a  variety of colorful foods that are packed with healthy phytonutrients. These may include berries, beets, leafy greens, peppers, citrus fruits, nuts, and grains. For a complete phytonutrient click here.
2. High-Quality Hemp Complementing clean eating, a high-quality hemp extract supplement is an easy way to boost brain power, support cognition function, and balance mood. Developed, crafted and tested specifically for cognition improvement, FOCUS Mind & Body Hemp Extract is proven to improve attention, concentration and memory, minimize stress, and enhance everyday quality of life. Check out more about the science behind FOCUS by visiting https://bit.ly/PMBScience.
3. Exercise: Physically and Mentally Working out. It’s great for the body and the brain. When you exercise routinely research shows it helps to build a tolerance to distractions, supports greater mental energy, and better moods and well-being. In addition to physical exercise, brain exercise helps to maintain mental sharpness and supports cognition processes. A few brain exercise activities include: crossword or jigsaw puzzles, reading books or magazines, concentration games, and memory apps.

Cultivate Productivity With Mindfulness Activities

Without a centered and present mind, being productive can become a slog. Incorporating mindfulness practices into your daily and weekly schedule can help restore and maintain clarity and purpose.

1. Meditation Meditation helps to train the mind to be more attentive and present. The breathing elements of meditation strengthen neural connections associated with focus and  help to make better assessments and responses to stress. If you’re new to meditation click here for a list of the top recommend meditation apps. 
2. Set Your Intentions Taking time in the mornings or evenings to set your goal intentions makes it easier to focus on completing tasks that are most important. A few simple ways to set your intentions are by journaling or through quiet deep breathing time.
3. Enjoy a walk Whether in shorts and tank top or bundled from head to toe, a simple 15-20 minute walk helps to enliven and connect your senses, provides a productive break, and is a great opportunity to practice attentive breathing. If you can, try to find a place where you can walk barefoot on the earth so your body can ground or electrically connect to the earth which has been studied to have positive effects on the mind and body.

Minimize External Distractions

We say minimize instead of eliminate because completely ridding yourself of distractions nowadays is a feat only the most dedicated monk could possibly accomplish. A good way to begin minimizing distractions is to be aware and take note of the things that throw you off, blatantly or subconsciously. This could be working in or near a noisy area, having children or restless pets nearby, or the most common source: technology-related distractions including social media, email and news or messaging notifications.

Once you’ve determined which outside sources negatively affects your concentration and attention, it’s best to have a coordinated plan to minimize these distractions. A few useful tips for your distraction plan may include:

1. Turning off your phone when it isn’t needed. If that isn’t possible, at the least, turn off notifications from the apps and email that sway your attention.
2. Work in an area that promotes comfort but also concentration.
3. Communicate with those around you that you need to work distraction-free.
4. Use headphones or white noise devices that block out distracting sounds, but still keep you focused.
5. Set 10 to 15 minute blocks or breaks to enjoy the things that typically affect your concentration while working.

Apply Patience To Your Daily Activities

With very little notice 2020 forced us to adapt during crisis and rethink our daily strategies and routines for both work and our personal lives. You may not notice it, but the events of a year that altered lives everywhere helped create new skill sets, mindsets, and character traits that can be applied to improve productivity, creativity, and leadership in 2021. 

This past year taught us the importance of a particularly important quality known to improve productivity: patience. Patience doesn’t mean being complacent, but instead serves as a guide that often leads to more attentive and higher quality work output. When you rush against the clock to complete a project or task (professionally, personally, or otherwise) you often lose focus on the quality of work you’re seeking to accomplish. To remain patient while working it helps to have realistic deadlines, contingency plans if things don’t go as planned, and exercising consistent and balanced effort that encourages your best work